3 Car Garage Question

[DelayedZ]

So there is talk in my household about returning towards the east coast of the US, and we started talking about building a custom home, I was looking up sizes to different things, and I said if we build a house I don't really care about the inside but I want a three car garage, then I started thinking, I want room for a lawn mower my rolling tool box, a small work bench, and some heavy duty shelving. I'm sure I could figure out dimensions, but as some (mostly all) of you have experience with this, what should I be looking for when I bring this together for a build. Oh and I definitely want it attached to the house. My main goals are, #1 not to screw myself out of my own area, and #2 I want to keep affordability in mind, I don't want to dump the budget of the house into my garage, haha.

 

[58Yeoman]

IIRC, the first house my first wife and I built was 32x26, and the attached garage was 30x24; 3 car. I had plenty of room for our two cars and my antique vehicle. When I would work on cars to resell, my truck would stay outside. I did a lot of work in that garage.

Got divorced, went to a small one car for 9 years. Moved, went to a carport, then 28x28. Did some work in there. Got remarried, have a 2 car attached, and 24x40 separate. Am planning on doing more work in there.

You just have to be aware of how to arrange things so that they fit in the space you have, and still be able to work and play...

 

[DelayedZ]

See I think I'm too into my head overthinking this, I'm thinking the heavy duty shelves I have are 2 feet, and a comfortable clearance to walk between cars is 3 feet, and I just keep adding footage, but I don't want to get ridiculous, haha.

 

[RWorth]

I think 58yeoman made an error in planning his first house, if he had done the math properly a 32x26 house should have had a 64x52 garage.

First rule of garage building, it can never be to big.

 

[matt_i]

In my head I always have 25' square as a "standard" 2 car garage. Realizing they are built bigger and smaller. One thing to ask yourself is if you are driving Acuras or Yukons. Bigger vehicles need wider and longer spaces. Even more for crew cab trucks.

In an attached garage, sometimes easier to go deeper and build storage that way...or...don't use the 3rd bay for actual parking.

 

[WWShop]

I would figure out the dimensions of the workbench, toolbox, shelving, any other storage, work space, cars etc...and then build the garage around those dimensions. Just a thought.

 

[astroracer]

Use the Grizzly Workshop Planner:
http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner
It has tons of standard equipment, cars, trucks, etc., that can be resized and moved around to make a workable space. it is very handy.
Mark

 

[sleek98]

At my current house I have a 20 wide by 22 deep with a 16 foot door and my third car I had my builder extend to 28 deep and its I think 14 wide with a 9 foot door. He charged me 2,500 to do that.

I can actually fit my Supercrew F150 in the third car garage and have 6-7 feet in front that I have storage for all our ****.

If you can extend the third car 5-8 feet that is great space for storage and a work bench.

 

[captain14]

What vehicles are you planning to park inside? And future vehicles?

 

[James-W]

My thinking is that a garage attached to the house is for parking vehicles, lawnmower, bicycles, that type of thing. A garage that is not attached to the house is a workshop. I am sure there are exceptions to this, but I think that for the most part that is the norm.

 

[XS29L9B]

See I think I'm too into my head overthinking this, I'm thinking the heavy duty shelves I have are 2 feet, and a comfortable clearance to walk between cars is 3 feet, and I just keep adding footage, but I don't want to get ridiculous, haha.

I have a 34x26 garage, and shelving is across the back. 3 car garages are now pretty common, but a builder would probably build 30x20, if you let them. And don't.

For doors, no smaller than 9wide x 8tall. Trust me.

 

[XS29L9B]

Also, forget putting junk in the garage. We built a shed for that, adding another "garage" in the woods.

 

[DelayedZ]

Also, forget putting junk in the garage. We built a shed for that, adding another "garage" in the woods.

Ha, you know I was talking to the wife and first thing I said was all the holiday decorations aren't making it into the garage this time, lol

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[astroracer]

Look into loft trusses if you want to add some "extracurricular" storage. The loft trusses will add some cost but it is cheaper then going bigger footprint.
My house garage is 26 x 28 with loft trusses. I have my home office up there and it is 14' x 28'. Lots of room for storage or living space.

Mark

 

[Chrahm]

I just added on to my detached garage. One thing I built, was a tool shed as a lean too type structure on the outside wall of my garage. It allows the smelly stuff to remain out of the garage. Lawn tools, equipment, my compressor, fertilizers, etc. out of garage, out of way. For the shop area of my garage, I made a list of the large items I needed to store, such as high pressure washer, shop vac, floor jacks, jack stands, etc. and I measured them. I designed shelving and open areas to accommodate their storage while not in use.
A MUST in the garage is running water and maybe even a head if room allows. A large industrial sink is great for washing up (or washing dirt off parts). I have a full bath, although tiny in my shop area.
My garage is tandem 4 car. Annoying when time to pull a forward car out, but nice that there is only a large 2 car overhead door. I have a side shop section that is 14 x 20 which has workbenches, shelving storage, chemical cabinets, BEERFRIDGE, and the bathroom.
My next input is music. I love music and I like it loud. I have six ceiling speakers so I can walk in, connect via bluetooth, and start jamming while I'm working.
Finally, every new home should have fire suppression. A drop in the hat when considering the entire cost of a new home. The City in which I live required the installation of fire suppression because my detached building is greater than 1,000 ft sq.
good luck!

 

[DelayedZ]

Use the Grizzly Workshop Planner:
http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner
It has tons of standard equipment, cars, trucks, etc., that can be resized and moved around to make a workable space. it is very handy.
Mark

I'm going to check this out after work.

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[DelayedZ]

What vehicles are you planning to park inside? And future vehicles?

Right now I have a 16 scion FR-S, the wife has a 15 sonata, and we may have a 12 Santa Fe getting parked in there as well. Now that being said, going back east I might switch to a truck at some point but I would only do short beds, never liked the wheelbase of a long bed truck.

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[DelayedZ]

At my current house I have a 20 wide by 22 deep with a 16 foot door and my third car I had my builder extend to 28 deep and its I think 14 wide with a 9 foot door. He charged me 2,500 to do that.

I can actually fit my Supercrew F150 in the third car garage and have 6-7 feet in front that I have storage for all our ****.

If you can extend the third car 5-8 feet that is great space for storage and a work bench.

I think your right about extending one side out a bit just in case it'll give me my work space without have to leap over some random obstruction.

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[crewchief888]

Ha, you know I was talking to the wife and first thing I said was all the holiday decorations aren't making it into the garage this time, lol

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funny you mention this, when we were looking to buy a house, my wife didt understand the whole concept of having a full basement. (she grew up in south florida)

when we finally got everything moved into the house, she realized what i was talking about. and halloween decorations would have taken up a LOT of room in an already small garage.

having a full basement thats mostly unfinished, we have the space to do any woodworking type stuff, and stay warm, during the winter. also have the room for my reloading presses, and for (wood) power tool storage.

 

[DelayedZ]

funny you mention this, when we were looking to buy a house, my wife didt understand the whole concept of having a full basement. (she grew up in south florida)

when we finally got everything moved into the house, she realized what i was talking about. and halloween decorations would have taken up a LOT of room in an already small garage.

having a full basement thats mostly unfinished, we have the space to do any woodworking type stuff, and stay warm, during the winter. also have the room for my reloading presses, and for (wood) power tool storage.

[emoji481]

When we built our house in Vegas I knew the garage was going to be small, I made the mistake of making a deal with the wife that she could have one of my heavy duty shelves to store decorations, little did I know, like a disease it spread to all of them, plus upstairs in one of our closets, not agreeing to any of that this time, lol

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[crewchief888]

When we built our house in Vegas I knew the garage was going to be small, I made the mistake of making a deal with the wife that she could have one of my heavy duty shelves to store decorations, little did I know, like a disease it spread to all of them, plus upstairs in one of our closets, not agreeing to any of that this time, lol

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i had enough halloween props and decorations, (mostly in storage totes), to fill an 8ft bed truck stacked 2 & 3 high, and my 5x10 utility trailer.

her decorations sorta got out of hand for a couple years.

i sold off the halloween stuff a few years ago, and she's been "thinning the herd" of decorations.
i have a small 19x22 garage, i make room for her car once the snow flies, my harley stays in there, it's mostly filled with toolboxes, tools, and some fab equipment. all my woodworking type stuff stays in the basement

 

[rburke65]

It is amazing how much space is consumed with mowers, rakes, garden stuff, holiday decorations. Ya need a 2 car garage/she'd just for this stuff.